This application relates to telecommunications networks, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to developments in such networks suitable for adoption in 3GPP SAE/LTE or 4th generation (4G) mobile or cellular telecommunications networks that will be implemented in the future.
It is anticipated that SAE/LTE and 4G networks may provide the following advantages, compared to these known networks:    1. Support interactive multimedia services: teleconferencing, wireless Internet, etc.    2. Wider bandwidths, higher bit rates.    3. Global mobility and service portability.    4. Scalability of mobile networks.and may be/have:    5. Entirely packet-switched networks.    6. All network elements are digital.    7. Higher bandwidths to provide multimedia services at lower cost.    8. Tight network security.
In order to improve the coverage provided by an LTE node (eNodeB) one or more relays may be used to provide additional cells. For example, a relay may receive wirelessly downlink data from an eNodeB that is destined for a particular mobile device. The relay then passes that downlink data to the mobile device. This is advantageous in the event that the mobile device is not in the radio coverage area of the eNodeB. The relay enables the mobile device to receive data even when the mobile device is not in the radio coverage area of the eNodeB. Similarly, a relay enables uplink data to be transmitted from a mobile device to an eNodeB. It would be desirable to enable a mobile device to determine the quality of the link with the relay.